Worth the Wait
by StruckkByColfer
Summary: Jake sets out to show Cassandra how he really feels by making sure she has a valentine's day that she'll never forget. Written for Tumblr user thedarkestsunrise for the Tumblr valentine's exchange.


**Author's Note: This story is for the Librarians valentine's exchange on Tumblr. My valentine was thedarkestsunrise. =)**

Jacob Stone was a man of many secrets. He had kept his intelligence and interest in art a secret from everyone he cared about, until he found the library. Even now, only a handful of people knew this side of him, and they all worked at The Library alongside him.

Jake had other secrets, however.

These other secrets weren't necessarily things he intended to keep hidden from everyone. They just happened to be more personal sides of him that never came up in everyday situations, and weren't something that you would discuss over lunch. That being said, Jake had every intention of revealing one of these secrets to one of his fellow Librarians.

You see, Jacob Stone was a hopeless romantic.

Jake and Cassandra had become closer these past few months. He got along well with everyone at The Library, already closer with all of them than he ever was his friends back home, but Cassandra was special. The two had developed a special bond that was hard to dismiss.

* * *

It was shortly after the Collins Falls case that Jake began to realize his true feelings for Cassandra. He had found a similar -though slightly different- connection with Mabel. Losing her had been tough, but an important lesson had come out of it. Jake knew that life was too short to just leave things unsaid. He knew he needed to make things right.

It was late when he returned to the annex after his Paris outing. Everyone should have gone home (and Jenkins should be wherever it was that Jenkins disappeared to every night), but the first thing Jake saw when he came through the portal door was Cassandra. She was sitting at their workspace, her arms folded on the desk and her head resting on them. She appeared to be fast asleep.

Jake stood watching her for a moment before cautiously approaching her. He sat down in the seat next to her and gently placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Cassandra?" he whispered, not wanting to startle her. "Cassie, wake up darlin'."

Cassandra's eyes fluttered open and she smiled when she saw Jake sitting there.

"You're back."

"Cassandra, what are you doing here? It's late."

"I wanted to make sure that you were alright. That we were alright. I couldn't stop thinking about everything that happened, so after Ezekiel and I left the bar tonight I came back here instead of going home." Cassandra looked worried, her eyes focused on the floor instead of making eye contact.

Jake placed two fingers under Cassandra's chin, bringing her focus up to him. "Cassie, it wasn't your fault. We did everything we could for those people. It was a tough decision you had to make, but you made the right one."

Cassandra attempted a smile. "I'm sorry about Mabel."

Jake nodded. He took the hand that was on Cassandra's face and used it to brush a loose strand of hair gently out of her face. "Mabel and I...well, she helped me realize something."

"Jake, it's okay. You don't have to explain."

"Yes, I do. I haven't been fair to you, Cassandra. Do you remember that conversation we had when we first met?" It was a stupid question and he knew it. Cassandra remembered everything.

"I try not to." Cassandra glanced away.

"Well, I'm sorry because I never should have put my own issues onto you. I'm sorry if I hurt you." Jake said.

"No, I'm the one who betrayed you guys." Cassandra spoke quietly, eyes glued to the floor.

"You had your reasons. And my trust issues are not your fault."

Cassandra looked back at Jake. "I still regret doing it."

"I know you do, darlin'." Jake nodded. "But you need to know, that's all behind us. I trust you, Cassie. I trust you more than I trust anyone in this Library, more than I've ever trusted anyone, ever."

Cassandra was silent for a moment. She seemed to be studying Jake, making sure that he really meant what he was saying. Just as Jake was beginning to worry that she wasn't going to take him seriously, she finally spoke.

"I don't know what to say." She was smiling, though, and looked close to tears.

Jake smiled back and took her hand in his. "You don't have to say anything, Cassie. Just know that I'm always here for you." Cassandra nodded. She truly was at a loss for words.

Jake walked Cassandra out to her car that night and placed a kiss on the top of her head. Only after he had witnessed her safely driving off into the night did he get into his own truck and head back to his place.

* * *

The two continued to become closer after that night, though the feelings they obviously had for each other remained unsaid. Although their mutual feelings were more than obvious to everyone else in The Library, Jake and Cassandra seemed unsure about how the other felt.

Jake _thought_ Cassie felt the same way. In fact, he was quite confident. He would catch her stealing glances at him throughout the day, her eyes quickly darting away when she noticed him looking, though the smile never leaving her face. Of course, he only caught her because he couldn't keep himself from watching Cassandra. There was a time when he would say that he "paid attention" because he wanted to make sure she was alright. He would watch her write in her little notebook because you never knew what information you might need to snap her out of a spell. He would keep her in the corner of his eye to make sure she hadn't lost control, and stand close to her to make sure someone was always there to catch her when she fell.

He knew things had progressed past that, however, and he would be lying to himself if he said he watched Cassie just to make sure she was safe. He still kept an eye on her notebook, and still stood close in case he needed to catch her, but there was much more to it than that now. He noticed how she would nibble on the end of her pencil when she was trying to solve a particularly difficult equation. He noticed how her eyes would light up when she finally did solve it. He noticed how she would play with her hands when she got nervous, and how she would shyly smile and run a finger through her hair every time she caught him looking at her. Yes, Jake Stone knew that he no longer watched Cassie simply because it was in her best interest. He liked her, and there was no way around it.

With Valentine's Day right around the corner, Jake knew that it was the perfect time to act. He put together the perfect plan to show Cassandra how he felt.

Lucky for Jake, February 14th landed on one of their days off. That morning he called Cassie to ask her for some help on a case he wasn't actually working on.

"Wait, you need me to show up to the annex in a dress? For a case?" she asked, confused but also a little amused.

"I need to go undercover, Cass. This painting I have to recover is hanging up in a mansion that's being rented out for a wedding today. I figured it would be easier to blend in if I had a beautiful woman on my arm."

"And you want me to play the role of the beautiful woman?"

"Well, I asked Ezekiel but he's too busy." Jake heard Cassandra giggle on the other end of the line.

"Yeah, okay. I'd be glad to." Cassandra answered.

Everything was falling into place. Jake had enlisted Jenkins help into making sure he got the coordinates exact, and to make sure no one would be around the annex that afternoon. Jenkins didn't ask many questions. He figured that the less he knew, the better. He did know that it had something to do with Cassandra, though, and of all the new Librarians, Jenkins had a soft spot for the young red head. He knew that whatever it was Jake was up to would be something that would make Cassandra happy, and that was all the older man needed to know.

That afternoon, Jake found himself waiting in the annex in his best (or rather, his only) suit. He tugged a bit at the collar, not fully comfortable in formal wear. Still, Cassie was worth it. No doubt about that. In his hand was a corsage that he had picked out earlier. He paced nervously, silently praying that he wouldn't do or say anything to screw things up.

"Jake?" He looked up at the sound of Cassandra's voice and stopped dead in his tracks when he laid eyes on her. She stood in the doorway, wearing a simple, but elegant, crimson evening gown that was unlike anything Jake could ever imagine her in. But at the same time, it suited her perfectly.

"Are you okay?" Cassie asked. Jake realized that he had been staring -open mouth staring- for far longer than appropriate.

"Uh...yes. Yeah. Sorry Cassie." He tried to snap out of it. "You look...wow! You look great, Cass."

Cassandra smiled. "Well you don't look half bad, yourself." She walked over to where Jake had stopped, near the portal door, and tried to get a look at the globe that Jake was conveniently blocking. "So where are we going?"

"Before I open this door, Cassie, I need to be completely honest with you." Cassandra looked at him curiously.

"Okay…" she hesitated, a little worried about what Jake was about to say.

"The truth is… well, I… I may have sorta lied to getcha here, Cassie." Jake started, looking everywhere but directly in Cassandra's eyes because he was afraid of what her reaction would be. "I'm not actually working a case."

When he finally met her gaze, Jake saw Cassandra studying him very closely. Her eyes curiously darting between his own, and the door. She didn't look angry or annoyed, but she did look puzzled.

"What's on the other side of this door, Jake?" she tried asking again, and then suddenly seemed to notice the corsage Jake had forgotten that he was holding. "And what's in that box?"

Jake looked down at his hands. "Oh. Oh! Yeah." he chuckled. "I uh, I forgot about this." He opened up the box and held it out, revealing the white and pink carnations.

Cassandra quietly gasped, her right hand covering her mouth. "It's beautiful!"

"White for talent, pink for boldness." Jake smiled as he explained the meaning of the flowers. He delicately took the corsage out of its box. "May I?" he asked, taking Cassandra's hand in his own. He had opted for a wrist corsage to avoid any awkwardness. Cassandra couldn't help but grin as Jake gently slid the arrangement onto her wrist.

"Now, my other question?" she reminded him, her attention turning toward the door. "What's going on?"

"Well, why don't you open the door and find out?" Jake suggested, his hand still holding hers.

Cassandra hesitated for a moment, glancing between Jake and the door. Then she took a few hesitant steps forward, dropping Jake's hand only when she had stepped too far from his reach. Cautiously, she pulled open the doors, revealing her old high school's gymnasium. Confused, she looked back over her shoulder, hoping for answers.

"Cassandra Cillian, will you go to prom with me?"

Cassie had told him once, long ago, that her biggest regret about dropping out of school was that she never got to go to her prom. Jake had filed that conversation in the back of his mind, knowing that one day he intended to change that. Today was as good a day as any. Now all she had to do was say…

"Yes!" Cassandra squealed of happiness and wrapped her arms around Jake in an excited hug. "Oh, of course I will, Jake! I can't believe you went through all this trouble!"

Jake returned the hug, enjoying himself in Cassandra's embrace. He had hoped she would like what he had done, but seeing her _this _excited was the icing on the cake.

When she had finally let go of him, he offered her his arm and the two of them faced the door.

"Shall we?" Jake asked, looking at Cassandra. She flashed him a huge smile and nodded. Together they took that awkward first step, pushing through the invisible boundary and landed in the old gym. Jake had been there earlier, decorating the place like you would expect a high school dance to be decorated. He knew real proms were usually fancier than that, but he only had so much time, and access to limited decorations. Cassie didn't seem to mind, though. She was wide eyed and smiling, like a little kid on Christmas morning.

A stereo was playing songs that had been popular back when Cassandra was a teenager. Shortly after stepping into the gymnasium, a slow ballad began to play. The two stood in an awkward silence for a short moment, not unlike teenagers at an actual prom, before Jake finally broke the ice.

"Would you like to dance?" He asked, turning to Cassandra and offering his hand. She nodded, accepting his hand and following him out to the centre of the room.

Though hesitant at first, it didn't take long for the two to settle into a comfortable rhythm, Cassandra softly resting her hands around Jake's neck and Jake gently wrapping his around her waist. They swayed to the music silently for several minutes before Cassandra rested her head on Jake's shoulder.

"Jake?" Cassandra was the first one to break the silence, speaking softly as if afraid she would scare this perfect moment away.

"Yeah?" Jake matched her quiet tone.

"Why are all these songs slow?"

"That? Oh, um…" He was glad that Cassandra wouldn't be able to see his face go bright red. "Honestly? I uh...I can't really dance."

Cassandra buried her face in Jake's neck to try and stop herself from laughing, but it was no use. Then she pulled back just enough to look him in the eye, unable to contain her grin.

"That's hilarious." She said between giggles. "And also adorable."

Jake smiled down at her and tighten his grip around her waist. "So are you." He said, placing a soft kiss on the top of her head.

Cassandra sighed and rested her head back on Jake's shoulder, content to stay wrapped in his arms forever. Unfortunately their evening passed faster than either of them would have liked and they soon found themselves heading back through the magic door to the annex.

Her hand in his, Jake lead Cassie over to the staircase and sat down, pulling her down with him. He hadn't let go of her since they had been dancing and he had no intention of doing so any time soon. Though he released her hand after sitting down, he wrapped that arm around her and pulled her close.

"Thank you for tonight, Jake." Cassandra whispered. "It was everything I could have hoped for and more." She placed her hand on the one that Jake had wrapped around her and looked up into his eyes. He smiled back at her, his eyes crinkling like they did when he smiled his biggest.

"You're very welcome, darlin'." Jake whispered back. "A girl like you deserves the perfect prom night. I'm just sorry you had to wait so long."

"Don't be." Cassandra shook her head. "If I had gone to my prom way back when, I wouldn't have gotten to go with you. It was well worth the wait, Jake. You're worth the wait."

It was one of those moments when time stands still. When it feels like hours are passing, when your brain stops functioning and your body acts on its own. Before Jake even knew what was happening he was moving in closer, Cassandra was closing her eyes, and suddenly her lips were on his. It started out soft and tender, the perfect first kiss. But it wasn't long before they settled into a rhythm and found comfort within the other. Jake tightened his grip around Cassie's waist and tangled his other hand within her hair. Cassandra brought a hand up to Jake's neck; her touch was like fire and spread across his entire body. The intensity continued to increase until finally they broke apart, forehead resting on forehead, staring deeply into each other's eyes as they caught their breath and processed what had just happened. After a few minutes, it was Cassandra who finally broke the silence.

"That was worth the wait as well." She smiled against him.

"It was, but we certainly have a lot of catching up to do." Jake said, moving in close again and wrapping Cassandra's lips in his own once again.

When they were finally able to drag themselves away from each other, Jake once again found himself walking Cassie out to her car (silently cursing himself that he hadn't planned the evening in a way that he would get to drive her home. Not that he had any other expectations, he just wanted the chance to spend every moment possible with her). This time, however, he gave her a proper goodnight kiss before she slid into the driver's seat and smiled up to him.

"Happy valentine's day, Jake."

"Happy valentine's day, Cassie."


End file.
